About Us
Kora Shriners is a temple of Shriners in Maine, headquartered at the Kora Shrine Temple Lewiston at 11 Sabattus Street. This About Kora Shriners page is your starting point for the organization, the building, and the people behind the events. We are a fraternity centered on fun, fellowship, and service, and our primary purpose is to raise money in support of Shriners Children’s. If you are new to Shriners in Maine, this page will help you understand how Kora fits into that larger mission.
Our goal is clarity first. This website is designed to do three things well. First, it helps members find what they need to participate in our community, events, and their units/clubs. Second, it gives the public a clear way to attend events, buy tickets when available, and get reliable details about time, parking, and accessibility. Third, it makes it easy for prospective members and supporters to understand what Kora is, what we value, and how to get involved.
Kora Shrine Temple Lewiston and what makes Kora unique
The Kora Shrine Temple Lewiston is more than a meeting hall. It is a historic community landmark that hosts gatherings big and small. Some people meet us through signature traditions like FEZtival of Trees or local screening clinics. For many families, this is their first introduction to Shriners in Maine and what the temple does in the community. Others discover Kora through Units and Clubs, which are the activity groups that help keep the calendar full and give members an easy way to build friendships around shared interests.
While the organization is fraternal, the public impact is tangible. Fundraisers support Shriners Children’s, and Kora events give families and neighbors a reason to come together in the heart of Lewiston. If you are visiting for the first time, the fastest way to find hours, a phone number, and arrival notes is the Contact page.
Start here: What you want to learn
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History and Mission
Want the story behind the building, the organization, and how our philanthropy works? Visit the History and Mission page to learn more about our roots, our relationship to Shriners Children’s, and why the Kora Shrine Temple Lewiston matters to the community.
Divan Leadership
The Divan is our elected leadership team. If you want to know who is serving this year or you need to route a question to the right officer, start at the Divan Leadership page .You will also find a simple note about where to send general leadership questions.
Contact and Directions
Need office hours, contact information, or directions? Use the Contact page for the most current information. It includes parking and entrance notes for meetings and events, and the same essentials you will see in the universal footer.
Units and Clubs
Units and Clubs are how many members plug in, volunteer, and have fun. They also drive much of our public presence through parades, performances, and fundraising. Explore the directory and find how to get involved on the Units and Clubs page.
Inside Kora Temple
Kora Temple is an historic building at 11 Sabattus Street in Lewiston, Maine. The temple was built in 1909 by the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. The temple building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 for its distinctive Moorish-inspired architecture.
Harry Cochrane, a Maine man who decorated his first church in 1887, the same year in which he married Ida Lorena Gott of Monmouth. In an era of grand decoration, of stenciling and free-hand ornamentation of walls and ceilings, of marbleizing of plaster and wood, of gilding, and of painting murals and large in-situ oil paintings, Cochrane soon achieved regional acclaim for his work. Between 1887 and his death in 1946, he was commissioned to decorate upwards of 400 public buildings in Maine and New England, including churches, parish halls, convents, banks, and courthouses. In 1898, he won first prize in a competition to decorate the convention halls and rooms for the huge Knights Templar triennial conclave in Pittsburgh. Perhaps his most spectacular mural project would be the 1927 decoration of the Kora Temple in Lewiston.
We are indeed justly proud of noble Cochrane’s immense contribution to our Shrine home.